Uhuru’s first 100 days in office – Kenyans’ expectations

President Uhuru Kenyatta

In a manifesto unveiled in June 2017, new jobs, free secondary school education, expanded health care and social welfare system were among the list of Jubilee’s promises for Kenya.

Here are some of the promises President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to deliver during his first 100 days in office.

1.Elderly persons

Jubilee in its manifesto promised to double the number of elderly persons under the cash transfer programme and also reduce endemic corruption in procurement of Government services and goods through digitisation of all state tenders.

President Uhuru also pledged to expand NHIF cover to all Kenyans above 70 years of age and improve benefit packages for all NHIF members to cover a broader set of services including emergency ambulance evacuation, heart surgeries and chronic diseases.

2.Economic crimes

The party also promised to raise penalties for economic crimes and work with the Judiciary to ensure that these are resolved within 6 months, immediately deploy an enhanced protection and reward framework for whistle blowers and publish annual details of all procurement awards for major government projects.

3.Drought and food security

In the 2017 manifesto, Uhuru says his government will reduce the cost of living for Mwananchi by stabilising the cost of food, energy and transport.

"In the short term, we will ensure that no Kenyan will die from famine and the effects of the recent drought are mitigated by working with the private sector to import and distribute additional grain," he said.

The Jubilee administration however avoided being tied down by specific figures, unlike in their 2013 manifesto that promised a double-digit economic growth.

Jubilee also promised to expand food and agriculture production, double fertiliser subsidy initiative and reduce the cost to farmers to less than Sh1,500.

4.Free secondary education

President Uhuru Kenyatta promised to expand free public school program to incorporate free secondary education.

“We will work towards achieving a 100% transition from primary to secondary school by providing free education in all public primary and public day secondary schools. No child, irrespective of background, will drop out of school because they cannot afford tuition fees,” read part of the manifesto.

This is however a contentious issue as far as when this particular plan will be rolled out.

In June 2017, days after unveiling their manifesto, President Uhuru asked NASA leaders to stop misleading Kenyans that free secondary education can be attained within 100 days in office. He said implementation of government projects requires proper planning and not politics.

“Leaders should not just wake up in the morning and tell Kenyans that they will do this and that within a given period after they win elections, without thinking or planning how to go about such issues,” Uhuru said.

5.Expand free maternity

Jubilee pledged to expand free maternity care to include government funded NHIF cover for every expectant mother for one year.

“We will expand the “Linda Mama” programme (free maternity programme) to mission and private hospitals and provide health cover through NHIF for all expectant mothers for a period of 12 months covering the period before and after birth,” read the manifesto.

By and large, President Uhuru Kenyatta promised to reverse the negatives experience in the Jubilee administration during his first time term in office.